A lot of things went wrong for the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
Of all those things, perhaps the offensive line was the most worrisome.
The line crumbled without Bill Callahan.
Callahan was a master at patching the line together even when some key guys were hurt, and Andy Dickerson had some big shoes to fill.
That’s why it wasn’t surprising that the team parted ways with him shortly after the end of the season.
Now, with Mike Bloomgren at the helm, the team will desperately need to revamp the unit.
As pointed out by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, a lot of that will depend on whether Joel Bitonio decides to return and if Dawand Jones is a) healthy and b) plays well:
“The line struggled in the first half of the season with injuries and without its premier offensive line coach in Bill Callahan. They never really recovered from the loss of Callahan, and first-year offensive line coach Andy Dickerson was fired a day after the season. The Browns must hope that Joel Bitonio returns this season and that Dawand Jones comes back strong to hold down the left tackle job,” Cabot said.
The Browns’ offensive line is brittle and aging.
Bitonio isn’t getting any younger and is inching closer to the end of his career.
He might not even return next season.
However, he’s still an elite player at his position, and they will not be able to replace him in the offseason.
The Browns won’t have that much money available to spend, but the offensive line should most definitely be atop their priority list.
Deshaun Watson didn’t do himself any favors with his subpar play, but to be fair, the line rarely gave him much of a chance anyway.
Even when they did, the former Houston Texans star was erratic, but they could still use a major boost to that crucial unit.
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